Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF)
View New Ultimate Practical Capacity ANEF, endorsed 12 June 2008
There has been considerable debate about the merits and the correct usage of Australian Standard 2021 (AS 2021), which incorporates the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF). AS 2021 was developed, based on research by the National Acoustic Laboratory (NAL), in the mid to late 1970s and early 1980s, as a criterion for the acoustic insulation of buildings. As such, it has performed a very important role at 'brownfield' airports, where there are existing built-up noise-sensitive areas around the airport site.
There has however been significant criticism of the system since 1995, and the system has been a subject of the Senate Select Committee on Aircraft Noise at Sydney in their publication "Falling on Deaf Ears" (1995). (Report of the Senate Select Committee on aircraft noise in Sydney).
Much of the criticism of the ANEF system in "Falling on Deaf Ears" and in public debate has centred on the intended role and purpose of the system. It is apparent that there is considerable confusion in the community, and even amongst some experts, as to the role and purpose of the system. Standards Australia has clarified the role of the ANEF system:
"AS2021 was developed to provide guidance on the acoustic insulation of buildings against aircraft noise. This is a well-defined need that clearly falls within the scope of activities of Standards Australia."
"...Setting acceptability criteria, either in this field or others such as occupational health and safety is normally the role of Government because such decisions can rarely be made on a purely scientific basis and generally have a political dimension. In the case of aircraft noise, I understand that much of the data relating to community reaction and annoyance is somewhat ambiguous and there must inevitably be a considerable degree of subjectivity associated with selecting an ANEF (or alternative) value that reflects community expectations." Standards Australia, 7 November 2000
"…It was never intended that the Standard be used for the purpose of aircraft noise management."
Further, AS2021 explicitly states:
"Land planning authorities may have their own internal noise level requirements which may be used in place [of the level in the standard]".
While the important role of the ANEF system in the provision of insulation levels is acknowledged and the useful role that the system can play at brownfield airports already encroached upon by noise sensitive development is recognised, the ANEF is not a suitable system for the delineation of noise sensitive development, including residential areas, around airports both free from existing noise-sensitive development and where ample opportunities exist to build such developments well away from flight paths, such as is the case at Canberra International Airport.
Much of the problem with the ANEF system centres on the growing number of complaints outside the 20 ANEF contour. This is highlighted by the Department of Transport in its discussion paper Expanding Ways to Describe and Assess Aircraft Noise, 2000:
"... aircraft noise pressures at some airports are tending to increase, not decrease. A particularly problematic aspect of the issue is that the majority of complaints and pressures to restrict airport operations come from persons living in areas which the ANEF system indicates are suitable for residential development - that is outside the 20 ANEF"
The reason for such noise pressures and complaints exists because the impact of aircraft noise on the community outside the 20 ANEF contour is significantly adverse. Research shows that over 40 per cent of residents just outside this level of exposure are at least moderately affected by aircraft noise, and over 10 per cent are severely affected. Most aircraft noise complaints throughout Australia and in Canberra come from outside the 20 ANEF contour. This was highlighted by Dr Robert Bullen, consultant to Village Building Company, during consultation on the 2005 Approved Master Plan:
"It's well known that there is not a lot of a relationship between noise complaints and ANEF noise levels.
How come that is? Well, there are a lot of reasons for that. The main one is, in my view, that people complain for things like a particular event like "A plane flew over my house last night; it was really loud; I don't hear it very often but what the hell is going on?" It doesn't mean necessarily that people were seriously affected or affected at all in fact by the noise. What they are doing is asking what the hell is going on.
Another reason is that some people will complain for whatever reason. Some people have a propensity to complain, other people just don't complain. For example, some people from a non-English speaking background, people who don't feel comfortable ringing up authority figures or something, just tend not to complain. There are other people who, for whatever reason, complain because they feel like something can happen.
So, there is not a lot of relationship between complaints and ANEF levels. Absolutely." Dr Robert Bullen, consultant to Village Building Company, at Tuggeranong Community Council Meeting, 5 August 2004.
The level of complaints in new residential areas outside the ANEF at Canberra and at other airports around Australia is of serious concern to Capital Airport Group as managers of Canberra International Airport. Our own assessment of the issue of aircraft noise, our experience of the political process in the marginal Commonwealth Government seats around Canberra, and following the advice of the Commonwealth Government's regulator on aircraft noise, Airservices Australia, we are of the opinion that the development of noise sensitive development under the flight paths just outside the ANEF will lead to operational restrictions upon the Airport and the serious possibility of noise sharing.
This was confirmed in the EIS for a proposed second Sydney Airport, quoting AS2021, where an extensive study found that at ANEF 15, 13% of residents will be seriously affected and 50% will be moderately affected by aircraft where those residents are newly exposed to aircraft noise. It is for this reason that we believe the appropriate land-use planning tool to ameliorate the effects of the environmental issue of aircraft noise around Canberra International Airport is the High Noise Corridor.
New Ultimate Practical Capacity ANEF, endorsed 12 June 2008
The below ANEF contour map depicts the Ultimate Practical Capacity ANEF for Canberra International Airport, endorsed for technical accuracy by Airservices Australia on 12 June 2008 in the manner approved by the Commonwealth Minister for Transport. Australian Standard 2021 confirms that there can only be one ANEF current for an airport at any one time and further that a more recently endorsed ANEF supersedes a previous one. This means the new Ultimate Practical Capacity ANEF replaces the 2050 ANEF (endorsed for technical accuracy by Airservices Australia on 11 January 2002).The new Ultimate Practical Capacity ANEF, designed to reflect new flight paths operating to and from Canberra International Airport, was subject to an unprecedented period of public consultation in 2007, and was subject to a rigorous review process by Airservices Australia. The Ultimate Practical Capacity ANEF will be incorporated into the new Master Plan for Canberra International Airport which is currently under development.
